1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical dissection and grasping device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a surgical device having a dissection blade movably mounted within one of a pair of jaws of the surgical device to shield the blade during operation of the jaws.
2. Background of Related Art
Pyloric stenosis is a condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract of infants. It is a thickening and narrowing of the pylorus muscle in the lower part of the stomach where food or other substances pass into the small intestine. It causes vomiting and other complications such as dehydration, salt and fluid imbalances, etc.
Pyloric stenosis is often treated by a surgical procedure called pyloromyotomy which involves severing and spreading the thickened muscle to relax it. This procedure can be performed through open surgery or laparoscopically through a small incision or port. Since the patient is an infant the operative area is very small.
The instruments used in a pyloromyotomy are usually designed with adults in mind and typically included sheathed arthroscopic knives. Other knives in makeshift holders have also been used. These surgical instruments are often too large for the precise cuts needed with infants and, additionally, both graspers and bladed instruments were required thus increasing the number of instruments involved and the time to perform the surgery.
Therefore, there exists a need for a combined dissecting and tissue spreading instrument to limit the number of instruments inserted within the operative cavity of an infant. There further exists a need for a sheathed dissection instrument extendable in discrete, small increments for use on infants. There still further exists a need for a combined surgical instrument having safety mechanisms to prevent extending a dissection blade during use of a pair of spreading jaws or visa versa.